Cindy Schlansky is a highly experienced travel industry veteran and Co-President of Tzell Travel Group which, for more than 50 years has been providing its corporate and leisure clients with the highest quality, personalized travel experiences.

Schlansky has worked in all aspects of the retail travel business, first as a leisure agent before transitioning into key areas of specialization including corporate travel, groups and meetings. She eventually rose to Senior Vice President of Account Management and Operations at Stevens Travel before joining Tzell Travel Group in 2000 as Vice President of Operations. Schlansky’s role included overseeing all aspects of the day-to-day operation, including new advisor on-boarding, branch integration and managing the ARC processes. She was later promoted to Senior Vice President focused on organizational growth, operations process and agent development including agent trouble-shooting, coaching and counseling.

Under her leadership of branch acquisitions, the number of Tzell branches grew from eight to 50. Schlansky’s deep understanding of the travel industry and agency operations positioned her well for her current role where she, together with Co-President Monty Swaney, is responsible for daily operations as well as the strategic direction and future growth of the brand.

Monty Swaney is a travel industry veteran and co-president of Tzell Travel Group, where he works in tandem with Cindy Schlansky to oversee Tzell’s strategic and day-to-day operations.

Since 1996, Tzell Travel has been providing customized traveler services to its corporate, entertainment and leisure clients from its headquarters in New York City and 20 offices across the U.S. and U.K. Swaney has extensive experience in both the operations and sales sides of the business making him a strong partner to guide Tzell Travel agents to success. Swaney began his career as a front-line corporate agent for Hyatt in New York.

Moving to the agency side, he worked with Linden Travel as head of Corporate Sales moving up the ranks to became Director of Corporate Operations then Vice President of Linden, which merged with Frosch Travel. Swaney joined Tzell Travel in 2009 as Vice President of Operations. He was later promoted to Senior Vice President and then President. His deep knowledge of the corporate and entertainment travel, allows him to work closely on recruitment and management of this important segment of Tzell.

Awilda Gonzalez began her professional career in radio before transitioning to the travel industry, first as a ticket agent with American Airlines and then as a travel agent before joining Tzell Travel in 1997.

Over the past 20-plus years, Gonzalez has served in a variety of capacities on the leadership team, giving her a unique view of the independent contractor business model and an in-depth understanding of Tzell’s culture and position in the marketplace.

Currently, Gonzalez serves as Senior Vice President of Operations and Engagement. In her current role she oversees agent relations and company culture, along with events and a wide variety of special projects.

As Vice President of Operations for Tzell Travel Group, Elisa Foley oversees day to day operations, process improvement, agent support and growth as well as serving as a key supplier-agent liaison.

Foley has nearly 25 years of experience in the travel industry and has served in a variety of roles including corporate, leisure and group travel agent, agency manager, sales development and account management, reporting, corporate travel manager, meeting planner and hotel representative.

In 2001, she went on to lead the travel department, purchasing team and flight administration for CitationShares, then the second largest fractional aviation company, where she served as Vice President for 15 years. Just prior to joining Tzell, she was Executive Director at Valerie Wilson Travel. She moved to her current role at Tzell Travel Group in 2017.

Based at Tzell headquarters in New York, Chris Griffin has served as Vice President, Branch Relations since 2009. Responsible for overseeing and guiding all sales and account management activities for the company,Griffin has a proven track record of capturing new business while maintaining current partnerships.

He brings over 25 years of experience in the airline and travel management business to his current role and has served in leadership positions with major corporations including American Airlines, US Airways and United Airlines.

Karen Magee is Vice President, Partnerships & Leisure Services at Tzell Travel Group. Her department focuses on the growth of Tzell’s advisors luxury travel business through partnership initiatives, education, and resource development.

In her role, she is also responsible for facilitating and strengthening preferred supplier agreements and relationships within the Tzell network. Prior to joining Tzell, Karen has held positions with a focus on supplier relations management at other agencies as well as serving as a Global Sales Director for a luxury hotel company

Beyond that, Karen Magee serves on the board of a variety of luxury hotel brands, is a past board member of WinIt (Women in Travel), and co-founded YTP (Young Travel Professionals).

Sara Sessa has been with Tzell Travel Group for 25 years and was an integral part of the team that built Tzell’s West Coast operation and evolved it into the tremendously successful and respected organization it is today.

Prior to joining Tzell, she worked in the video production field. In her current role, Sessa oversees all West Coast operations for the company, ranging from day to day operations to supporting agents in their career growth.

Jason Oshiokpekhai serves as Managing Director of Protravel International U.K., Tzell Travel Group U.K., Colletts Travel and Scotia Travel, all part of U.S.-based Travel Leaders Group. Based in London, he oversees daily operations for the brands which serve luxury leisure, corporate and entertainment clients in the United Kingdom.

Prior to his current role, Oshiokpekhai worked as Director of Sales and Account Management for Protravel and Tzell Travel Group where he built a new and highly successful sales and account management team. He has also been instrumental in building corporate travel business for the U.K. market. Jason previously worked in the corporate sales divisions of Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.